---
order: 0
title: Element adapter
description: Create, respond to and listen to element drag operations
---

import SectionMessage from '@atlaskit/section-message';
import NestedDraggablesExample from '../../../../examples/nested-draggables';

The element adapter enables you to create rich drag and drop experiences, such as lists, boards,
grids, resizing and so on.

The element adapter contains the essential pieces for element operations:

- [draggable](#draggable): enable dragging of an element.
- [dropTargetForElements](#drop-target-for-elements): marking an element as a valid
  [drop target](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/drop-targets)
- [monitorForElements](#monitor-for-elements): create a
  [monitor](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/monitors) to listen for element drag
  operation events anywhere.
- [types](#types): all types for this adapter.

There are also a number of **optional** element utilities:

- [setCustomNativeDragPreview](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews):
  use a new element as the native drag preview
- [pointerOutsideOfPreview](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews):
  native drag preview function to place the users pointer outside of the drag preview
- [centerUnderPointer](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews):
  native drag preview function to place the center of the ntaive drag preview under the users
  pointer
- [preserveOffsetOnSource](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews):
  native drag preview function to match the pointer position on a native drag preview as close as
  possible to the pointer position on the draggable element
- [disableNativeDragPreview](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews):
  disable the native drag preview (helpful if you want to use your own custom drag preview or have
  no drag preview)
- [scrollJustEnoughIntoView](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews):
  scroll an element just enough into view so it is visible (helpful when working with default native
  drag previews)

<SectionMessage>

It is likely that some
[top level utilities](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/utilities) will be helpful
for your experience as well

</SectionMessage>

## Draggable

A `draggable` is an `HTMLElement` that can be dragged around by a user.

A `draggable` can be located:

- Outside of any drop targets
- Inside any amount of levels of nested drop targets
- So, anywhere!

While a drag operation is occurring:

- You can add new `draggable`s
- You can remount a `draggable`. See
  [Reconciliation](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/reconciliation)
- You can change the dimensions of the dragging `draggable` during a drag. But keep in mind that
  won't change the drag preview image, as that is collected only at the start of the drag (in
  `onGenerateDragPreview()`)
- You can remove the dragging `draggable` during a drag operation. When a `draggable` is removed
  it's event functions (eg `onDrag`) will no longer be called. Being able to remove the dragging
  `draggable` is a common requirement for virtual lists

### Draggable argument overview

- `element: HTMLElement`: a `HTMLElement` that will be draggable (using `HTMLElement` as that is the
  interface that allows the `"draggable"` attribute)
- `dragHandle?: Element`: an optional `Element` that can be used to designate the part of the
  `draggable` that can exclusively used to drag the whole `draggable`
- `canDrag?: (args: GetFeedbackArgs) => boolean`: used to conditionally allow dragging (see below)
- `getInitialData?: (args: GetFeedbackArgs) => Record<string, unknown>`: a one time attaching of
  data to a draggable as a drag is starting. If you want to understand the _type_ of data attached
  to a drop target elsewhere in your application, see our
  [typing data guide](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/recipes/typing-data).
- `getInitialDataForExternal?: (args: GetFeedbackArgs) => {[Key in NativeMediaType]?: string;}`:
  used to attach native data (eg `"text/plain"`) to other `window`s or applications.

```ts
type GetFeedbackArgs = {
	/**
	 * The user input as a drag is trying to start (the `initial` input)
	 */
	input: Input;
	/**
	 * The `draggable` element
	 */
	element: HTMLElement;
	/**
	 * The `dragHandle` element for the `draggable`
	 */
	dragHandle: Element | null;
};
```

- [`onGenerateDragPreview`](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/events#event-ongeneratedragpreview)
- [`onDragStart`](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/events#event-ondragstart)
- [`onDrag`](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/events#event-ondrag)
- [`onDropTargetChange`](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/events#event-ondroptargetchange)
- [`onDrop`](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/events#event-ondrop)

### Drag handles

A _drag handle_ is the part of your `draggable` element that can be dragged in order to drag the
whole `draggable`. By default, the entire `draggable` acts as a _drag handle_. However, you can
optionally mark a child element of a `draggable` element as the _drag handle_.

```ts
draggable({
	element: myElement,
	dragHandle: myDragHandleElement,
});
```

You can also implement a _drag handle_ by making a small part of an element the `draggable`, and
then using
[`setCustomNativeDragPreview`](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews)
to generate a preview for the entire entity.

### Conditional dragging (`canDrag()`)

A `draggable` can conditionally allow dragging by using the `canDrag()` function. Returning `true`
from `canDrag()` will allow the drag, and returning `false` will prevent a drag.

```ts
draggable({
	element: myElement,
	// disable dragging
	canDrag: () => false,
});
```

<Example Component={NestedDraggablesExample} appearance="showcase-only" />

Disabling a drag by returning `false` from `canDrag()` will prevent any other `draggable` on the
page from being dragged. `@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop` calls `event.preventDefault()` under
the hood when `canDrag()` returns `false`, which cancels the drag operation. Unfortunately, once a
drag event has started, a `draggable` element cannot individually opt out of dragging and allow
another element to be dragged.

If you want to disable dragging for a `draggable`, but still want a parent `draggable` to be able to
be dragged, then rather than using `canDrag()` you can conditionally apply `draggable()`

Here is example of what that could look like using `react`:

```ts
import { useEffect } from 'react';
import { draggable } from '@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/element/adapter';

function noop(){};

function Item({isDraggingEnabled}: {isDraggingEnabled: boolean}) {
  const ref = useRef();

  useEffect({
    // when disabled, don't make the element draggable
    // this will allow a parent draggable to still be dragged
    if(!isDraggingEnabled) {
      return noop;
    }
    return draggable({
      element: ref.current,
    });
  }, [isDraggingEnabled]);

  return <div ref={ref}>Draggable item</div>
};
```

## Data for external consumers (`getInitialDataForExternal()`)

`getInitialDataForExternal()` allows you want to attach data to a drag operation that can be used by
other `windows`s or applications (externally)

```ts
draggable({
	element: myElement,
	getInitialData: () => ({ taskId: task.id }),
	getInitialDataForExternal: () => ({
		'text/plain': task.description,
		'text/uri-list': task.url,
	}),
});
```

We also have a helper `formatURLsForExternal(urls: string[]): string` that allows you to attach
multiple urls for external consumers.

```ts
import { formatURLsForExternal } from '@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/element/format-urls-for-external';

draggable({
	element: myElement,
	getInitialData: () => ({ taskId: task.id }),
	getInitialDataForExternal: () => ({
		'text/plain': task.description,
		'text/uri-list': formatURLsForExternal([task.url, task.anotherUrl]),
	}),
});
```

<SectionMessage appearance="warning">

Data attached for external consumers can be accessed by _any_ external consumer that the user drops
on. It is important that you don't expose private data.

</SectionMessage>

Attaching external data from a `draggable` will not trigger the
[external adapter](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/external) in the
`window` that the `draggable` started in, but it will trigger the external adapter in other
`window`s (eg in `<iframe>`s).

## Drop target for elements

A [drop target](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/drop-targets) for elements.

The default `dropEffect` for this type of drop target is `"move"`. This lines up with our
[design guides](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/design-guidelines). You can override this
default with `getDropEffect()`.

```ts
import { dropTargetForElements } from '@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/element/adapter';

const cleanup = dropTargetForElements({
  element: myElement,
  onDragStart: () => console.log('Something started dragging in me!');
});
```

## Monitor for elements

A [monitor](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/monitors) for elements.

```ts
import { monitorForElements } from '@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/element/adapter';

const cleanup = monitorForElements({
  onDragStart: () => console.log('Dragging an element');
});
```

## Types

Generally you won't need to explicitly use our provided types, but we expose a number of TypeScript
types if you would like to use them.

All [events](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/events) on draggables, drop targets
and monitors, are given the following base payload:

```ts
type ElementEventBasePayload = {
	location: DragLocationHistory;
	source: ElementDragPayload;
};

type ElementDragPayload = {
	element: HTMLElement;
	dragHandle: Element | null;
	data: Record<string, unknown>;
};
```

For all the arguments for all events, you can use our event map type:

```ts
type ElementEventPayloadMap = {
	onDragStart: ElementEventBasePayload;
	// .. the rest of the events
};
```

Draggable feedback functions (`canDrag`, `getInitialData`, `getInitialDataForExternal`) are given
the following:

```ts
type ElementGetFeedbackArgs = {
	/**
	 * The user input as a drag is trying to start (the `initial` input)
	 */
	input: Input;
	/**
	 * The `draggable` element
	 */
	element: HTMLElement;
	/**
	 * The `dragHandle` element for the `draggable`
	 */
	dragHandle: Element | null;
};
```

Drop targets are given a little bit more information in each event:

```ts
type ElementDropTargetEventBasePayload = ElementEventBasePayload & {
	/**
	 * A convenance pointer to this drop targets values
	 */
	self: DropTargetRecord;
};
```

For all arguments for all events on drop targets, you can use our event map type:

```ts
type ElementDropTargetEventPayloadMap = {
	onDragStart: ElementDropTargetEventBasePayload;
	// .. the rest of the events
};
```

Drop target feedback functions (`canDrop`, `getData`, `getDropEffect`, `getIsSticky`) are given the
following:

```ts
type ElementDropTargetGetFeedbackArgs = {
	/**
	 * The users _current_ input
	 */
	input: Input;
	/**
	 * The data associated with the entity being dragged
	 */
	source: ElementDragPayload;
	/**
	 * This drop target's element
	 */
	element: Element;
};
```

The monitor feedback function (`canMonitor`), is given the following:

```ts
type ElementMonitorGetFeedbackArgs = {
	/**
	 * The users `initial` drag location
	 */
	initial: DragLocation;
	/**
	 * The data associated with the entity being dragged
	 */
	source: ElementDragPayload;
};
```

You can get these type from the element adapter import:

```ts
import type {
	// Payload for the draggable being dragged
	ElementDragPayload,
	// Base events
	ElementEventBasePayload,
	ElementEventPayloadMap,
	// Drop target events
	ElementDropTargetEventBasePayload,
	ElementDropTargetEventPayloadMap,
	// Feedback types
	ElementGetFeedbackArgs,
	ElementDropTargetGetFeedbackArgs,
	ElementMonitorGetFeedbackArgs,
} from '@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/element/adapter';
```

There are also some types (eg `DropTargetLocation`) that can be used for all adapters which can be
found on our [top level utilities page](../../utilities)

## Further reading

- [Drag preview documentation](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/drag-previews)
  → how to control what the user drags around during a drag
- [Typing data](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/recipes/typing-data) → how to
  improve the types for `"data"`
- [Unregistered elements](/components/pragmatic-drag-and-drop/core-package/adapters/element/unregistered-elements)
